


White Flags

by TheGatsbyGirl



Series: Agnus Dei [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Darth Tantrum and his Evil Space Ginger, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Choking, Force-Sensitive Hux, Hux is Not Nice, Hux is Palpatine's grandson, Kylo Ren is Not Nice, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 03:42:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13332762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGatsbyGirl/pseuds/TheGatsbyGirl
Summary: “When his teachers slammed a baton into his calves he kept his tears to himself. They punished him for a reason. How else would one react if they heard their pupil screaming about their blanket floating in the middle of the night? When a classmate snickered and called him a sniveling sculag, when Hux’s fingers instinctively tensed and drew closer together, he looked at his feet and pretended not to hear the boy coughing and gagging on his laughs.When the nerve burner known as Kylo Ren tried to break him…he gave up the fight.”Hux comes face-to-face with something he’s been afraid of for a long time, and learns that there may be more to it than he thought.





	White Flags

Hux couldn’t tell how long Ren had been gone.

  
According to Phasma it had been months. That certainly made sense, but he couldn’t tell what was real anymore. He forgot how many cups of caf he drank in the morning, how many minutes he’d managed to sleep each night, how many officers approached him each day.

  
It was hard to keep track of numbers when voices popped into his head at random times.

  
All his work had been for nothing. When his teachers slammed a baton into his calves he kept his tears to himself. They punished him for a reason. How else would one react if they heard their pupil screaming about their blanket floating in the middle of the night? When a classmate snickered and called him a sniveling sculag, when Hux’s fingers instinctively tensed and drew closer together, he looked at his feet and pretended not to hear the boy coughing and gagging on his laughs.

  
When the nerve burner known as Kylo Ren tried to break him…he gave up the fight. The defenses crumbled and everything came rushing in.

  
Hux was a mess, it was Ren’s fault, and he wasn’t even there to own up to it.

  
Hux tried to listen to Lieutenant Haldig. He really did. The boy was clearly trying to communicate some sense of urgency. “General, Captain Phasma is still re-evaluating the FN corps and she wants to make sure _you’re not right in the head Armitage, it’s all a matter of willpower_ —Sir?”

  
“What did you say?”

  
He cleared his throat. “Captain Phasma is re-evaluating the FN corps due to—”

  
“The traitor, yes. And?”

  
“And she wanted you to overlook her reports. For extra precautions, she says. She’d prefer it to be done by the end of the week, but she doesn’t want your condition to interfere.”

  
“My…condition?”

  
Haldig’s face made Hux sick. It was a mixture of fear and pity, worry in his eyes and a trembling lip. “Sir…many crewmembers worry that your health _he had red hair like you, I bet he’d say you were his spitting image, did you see the General? He looks like death, I thought he’d be better with Ren gone._

  
Hux boiled. “Lieutenant…” The air around them stopped moving. Haldig gulped and Hux couldn’t help but wonder how it would look if the swallow stuck in his throat. “You and your colleagues would do well not to make assumptions about your superior.”

  
Haldig coughed. “I apologize, General. The…” coughing turned to wheezing as the Lieutenant touched his pulse. “The crew wants you to maintain—”

  
“I am not sick unless I tell you. Give me the reports and get out of my sight.”

  
“Yes…Sir.”

  
Everything around them began moving again as Hux walked away and Haldig’s hands tugged on his collar. His lips didn’t move, but Haldig’s voice followed the General as he turned his back.

  
_Just like Ren.  
_

* * *

When Hux changed into his sleepwear and turned the lights down, the day went from bad to worse.

_  
Hux._

  
He sat up, turned his head and there was no one looking at him. In all likelihood it was just another figment of his imagination, but this one felt…louder. Stronger. Familiar.

_  
Hux, I know you can hear me._

  
“Who’s there?”

_  
You know who it is._

  
“…Ren?”

_  
Took you long enough._

  
Great. Just great. It wasn’t enough to be tormented by voices all day, no, the most aggravating person in the Galaxy had to join the party too.

  
“How are you in my head?”

  
Hux could practically feel Ren rolling his eyes from whatever backwater Forest Moon he was on. _The Force_.

  
There was a fresh throbbing in his head. “Well leave me alone and get back to your training. I’m sure Supreme Leader wouldn’t approve.”

_  
It was his idea._

  
Pfassk.

_  
We need you to listen. I called to you for a reason. You…blocked me._

  
“Excuse me?”

_  
Before I left. You blocked me. Got in my head._

  
Hux sighed and felt faraway eyes watching him. That was nothing. Just a coincidence. It had been quiet for so long and it was coming back, there was no way—

_  
What’s been quiet?_

  
Hux dug his fingernails into his palms as the throbbing became heavier, faster. “Out of my head,” he snarled.

_  
Quiet for so long…it’s been…it’s been quiet for so long. Coming back. That was your thought, yes?_

  
“Ren! _Out!”_

  
Hux waited for a reply that didn’t come. Finally. A moment of peace.

  
Until he closed his eyes.

_  
You did it again._

  
“Oh, for the love of—”

 _  
You blocked me. Just now._ Hux prayed that he wasn’t just imagining the hint of envy in Ren’s response; it lessened the frustration somewhat. _You’re confused. Scared. I don’t have to dig deep to know that. I was afraid, too. When I first felt it._

_  
I can help you, Hux._

  
Hux had spent his whole life vying for control. And yet when he whispered “Ben Solo,” he’d never felt more powerful.

  
He raked his fingers through his wet hair. “Ren. Am I insane?”

_  
No._

  
“Is this your Force?”

  
His laugh was warm. _It’s yours too, General._

  
“Ren,” Hux said. “How do I get it to stop?”

_  
It’s not a matter of stopping. It’s a matter of controlling._

_  
You need a teacher._

**Author's Note:**

> Well, here we are.  
> I saw TLJ. I’m actually hoping to post a meta here about it, and there were things about it that I liked—loved even. But overall, my opinion is more negative.  
> This is still a series of drabbles with no update schedule, and my two multi-chapter fics are still priority, but…I’m rewriting canon. Never thought I’d do that, but I am. Expect Force training, jealousy, UST, dark and light, grey jedi (maybe even some finnrey perspectives,) Emperor Hux, and watching these assholes get the horrible painful deaths they deserve. Enjoy the ride.  
>   
> \-------  
> Thank you for reading this. Comments and kudos water my crops!  
> Yell at me on [tumblr](http://kataruhh.tumblr.com) | [twitter](https://twitter.com/TheGatsbyGirl)


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